Improvement in bottle-stoppers



1. H. PARKHURST.

Bottle-Stopper.

No.1.33,883. A Y atenred Demonz.

Witnesses faire@ l JAMES II, PARIIHURST, or sr. LOUIS, MISSOURI, AssIGNoR or Two-FIFTIIS HIS RIGHT TO AMOS F. PARKHURST, OF LA SALLE, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT |N BOTTLE-ST'PPERS.

` Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,883, dated December 1'0, 1872.

To all lwhom it may'concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. PARKIIURST, of St. Louis, inthecounty of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain Improvements in Bottle-Stoppers, of which the `following is a specification:

'Nature and Objects of the Intention.

The rst'pnrt of my invention consists of a tapering stopper, provided with a weight on :its lower end, or preferably a bent wire passwire will not yimpede the flow of the`liquidr fromthe bottle,.but will iloat across the upper part of the bottle below the neck. The second part of my invention consistsV in the employment of washers at tlie upper and lower extremities of the stopper, through which the bentwire is inserted, thereby protecting the stopper, the upper washer also preventing the breakage ofthe stopper, when the latter is driven into the bottle' for the removal of its contents, by means of the ordinary ice-pick used for that purpose, or otherwise. The third part of my invention relates to theconstruction ofa bottle-stopper applied to liquids which generate little or no gas, and consists in the employment of a stopper weighted at its lower end, and provided with washers on-its upper and lower bases, its upper end having also a ring or its equivalent attached thereto, whereby the tapering stopper may be drawn by a string, or pliers, or otherwise, into the mouth of the bottle when there is not sufficient gas evolved by the liquid in the bottle to* force the stopper up into its mouth.

Description of the Drawing.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a bottle and bottle-stoppery embodying my invention, thebottle being filled. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the saine with the stopper forced into the bottle and the liquid being poured out. Fig. 3 is a detached sectional view of the bottlestopperas shown in Figs. l and 2. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are sectional views of modifications of my invention. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a stopper embodying my invention as applied to a bottle filled with a liquid in which gas is not generated.

Gene-ral Description. Arepresents. a bottle, in the oriice o of which the tapering stopper Bis inserted,'its v larger end or base first. The stopper B has two perforations near its center to receive the bent wire O, which passes through the lower washer D and one of the above-mentioned perforations, thence through the'upperwashler E, where it is bent over the latter, and passes downwardly through the other perforation and lower washer D, the two ends of the wire being twisted, preferably, below the lower `washer,as`shown in Figs. 1,2, and 3, the ends vof the wire C extending sufficiently below the stopper to feather and guide it into the orifice of the bottle when it is iilled.

The bottle being empty the'stopper, with its attached wire or weight, is forced into the y orifice o, the large end of the stopper being 4The bottle is introduced with the wire first. then filled, and the stopper is oated by the liquid, andl feathered or guidedsby the bent wire or weight into the orifice or mouth o of the bottle, when the pressure of the liquid or gases generated therein will force the stopper into the mouth of the bottle. Should the stopper not be forced by the gas or liquid securely into the orifice, a few slight blows on the mouth ofthe bottle will secure the entrance of the stopper into the mouth ofthe bottle. It is frequently found in the pouring out of the contents of a bottle,the cork of which has been forced into the bottle, that the cork, oating 1 with the liquid being poured out, will be drawn by it'into the mouth ofthe bottle, thereby imare not so bent.

the wire acting vertically draws the stopperV and its weight or attached wire across the upper part of the bottle below the neck so that the tlow of the'liquid will not be impeded. The upper and lower washers E and D are employed to prevent breakage of the stopper in insert-ing and bending the wire, and the upper washer further serves to protect the stopper from breakage when the stopper is forced in by the ice-pick ordinarily employed for the purpose, or otherwise. In Fig. 3 the wires C lare represented as'bent across each other below the lower washer D. In Fig. 4 the wires Figs. 5 and 8 are modifications of the saine device. In Fig. 5 one end of the wire is bent and inserted into the stopper at. its upper end, and .the wire is then passed through a perforation in the center of the stopper, and after it has passed through the lower end of it receives several .convolutions to. give it additional weight and to hold it, and is then extended a short distance below the lower base of the stopper. Fig. 8 is a somewhat similar moditication, readily understood from the drawing. In Fig. 6 a weight, W, is attached by a screw to present the smaller end ofthe stopper'to the mouth of the bottle asit is illed. An upper washer, E, attached by a screw or otherwise, is also employed to protect the stopper from injury when being forced into the bottle. Fig. 7 is a moditcation in which the upper washer is dispensed with, a weight, W, being attached by screw or otherwise to the base ofthe stopper.1 In Fig. 9 is represented a stopper intended to be applied to a bottle containing a liquid in which little or no gas is evolved to force the stopper up into the mouth of the bottle. B is the stopper, provided with upper and lower washers E D, and a wire, C, passing through a perforation in or about the center of the stopper. The upper end of the wire C is bent into a ring, l, and a ring, l', is similarly formed at the bottom on which a weight, W, may be suspended to balance the stopper. To the upp er ring l a string may be attached to draw the tapering stopper into the mouth of the bot tle, or the string may be dispensed with and a pair of pliers or other equivalent means be employed to draw up the stopper through the medium of the upper ring l. Cork is preferably employed as the material for the stopper,l though it is obvious that other materials may be used.

It is obvious that in my invention the employment of wire fastenings, attached ordinarily to the cork and surrounding the neck of the bottle used. for soda and mineral waters and other fluids where gas is generated within the bottle to secure the cork to the neck of the bottle, can be entirely dispensed with, as the pressure of the gas upon the base ot' the tapering stopper tends more securely to wedge the stopper into the mouth ofthe bottle. The dispensing with the Wire cork-fastening generally used to confine the corks of bottles containing soda and other mineral waters, champagne, Snc., renders my Stoppers much cheaper and more eii'ective, and there is also much less trouble in removing the corks from the mouths of the bottles, as there are no fastening-wires to out, and the tapering cork can readily be forced intothe bottle.

The washers E and D are preferably' made concave in form.

Claims.

I claim as new and'of my invention- 1. The stopper B provided with a weight at its lower end or bent wire C, extending below its base, in combination with a bottle vor other receptacle, substantially as described.

2. The stopper B having a weight or bent wire C, attached as set forth, and provided with the upper and lower washers E D, as and for the purposes described.

3. The weighted stopper B provided with upper and lower washers I9 D, and wire C hav; ing the ring l, substantially as described.

JAS. H. PARKHURST.

Witnesses:

Oo'rAVIUs KNIGHT, WALTER ALLEN. 

